Hindi translator on Blogger

Hello friends! This post is specifically for my friends in India who may have trouble translating my blog posts। There is now a great feature with Blogger that translates English into Hindi! This translation is into the Devanagari typeface, which is a common Hindi print script. I am not sure how this will translate to the 18 different languages of Hindi or to the many more dialects of theses languages, but this is a start. Most of my Indian friends are from Tamil Nadu (Tamil dialect) so they will need to either read Dvanagari or know how to translate. Hopefully this will be useful to others!

To use this Blogger feature, install it into your preferences.

See below for the translation of the paragraph above:

हेल्लो फ्रिएंड्स! थिस पोस्ट इस स्पेसिफिकाल्ली फॉर माय फ्रिएंड्स इन इंडिया व्हो माय हवे त्रौब्ले ट्रांस्लातिंग माय ब्लोग पोस्ट्स. तेरे इस नो अ ग्रेट फेअतुरे विथ ब्लॉगर ठाट ट्रांस्लातेस इंग्लिश इन्तो हिन्दी! थिस ट्रांसलेशन इस इन्तो थे देवनागरी त्य्पेफस, व्हिच इस अ कोम्मों हिन्दी प्रिंट स्क्रिप्ट. इ ऍम नॉट सुर हाउ थिस विल ट्रांस्लाते तो थे १८ दिफ्फेरेंट लंगुअगेस ऑफ़ हिन्दी और तो थे मानी मोरे दिअलेक्ट्स ऑफ़ ठेसेस लंगुअगेस, बुत थिस इस अ स्टार्ट. मोस्ट ऑफ़ माय इंडियन फ्रिएंड्स अरे फ्रॉम तमिल नाडू (तमिल दिअलेक्ट) सो थे विल नीद तो एइठेर रीड द्वानागरी और क्नो हाउ तो ट्रांस्लाते. होपेफुल्ली थिस विल बे उसेफुल तो ओठेर्स!

तो उसे थिस ब्लॉगर फेअतुरे, इंस्टाल आईटी इन्तो यौर प्रेफेरेंसस.

Song's words sum up my life

Mark Hall, lead singer and creator of music group Casting Crowns, uses words that we can all relate to in his music. Honestly, I have never really liked his music, probably because it is overplayed on Christian radio stations. But I actually listened to the lyrics of their most popular song "East to West" and it hit a chord with me (no pun intended). I was curious as to how this guy goes about his life and discovered that he is very humble and realizes his gifting. I read recently this from him concerning his new album The Altar and The Door:

“When we’re at the altar, everything makes sense,” Hall says. “We know what we’re supposed to do. We know how we’re supposed to live. Everything’s black and white. But somewhere between the altar and the door, when we leave and go out into our lives, it all leaks out, and everything gets gray again. The Christian life is the journey between the altar and door, trying to get the things you’ve got in your head, into your hands, feet, into your life. The Altar and The Door is all about the journey. The realization on the journey, the struggles and the victory of seeing it as possible.” (source)

And here are the lyrics that caught my attention, realizing that we all struggle with this as Christians and dealing with our day-to-day walk with Jesus.

East to West
By: Casting Crowns

Here I am Lord and I’m drowning
In your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me
I yearn for peace and rest
I don’t want to end up where you found me
And it echoes in my mind
Keeps me awake tonight

I know you’ve cast my sins as far
As the East is from the West
And I stand before you now
As though I’ve never sinned but today
I feel like I’m just one mistake away
From you leaving me this way

Jesus can you show me
Just how far the East is from the West
Cause I can’t bear to see the man I’ve been
Come rising up in me again
In the arms of your mercy I find rest
Cause you know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other

I start the day the war begins
And less reminding of my sin
Time and time again
Your truth Is drowned out by the storm I’m in
Today I feel like I’m just one mistake away
From you leaving me this way

Jesus can you show me
Just how far the East is from the West
Cause I can’t bear to see the man I’ve been
Come rising up in me again
In the arms of your mercy I find rest
Cause you know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other

I know you’ve washed me white
Turned my darkness into light
I need your peace to get me through
To get me through this night
I can’t live by what I feel
But by the truth your word reveals
I’m not holding on to you
But you’re holding on to me
You’re holding on to me

Jesus, you know just how far
The East is from the West
I don’t have to see the man I’ve been
Come rising up in me again
In the arms of your mercy I find rest
(The arms of your mercy I find rest)
Cause you know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other (x2)

(Just how far, the East is from the West) (x3)

From one scarred hand to the other…

Isaiah namesake

So it's been some time since I last posted. I have been busy with school and just finished a class in Isaiah (the namesake of this blog). If you ever have the desire, pick up the book "The Message of Isaiah" by Barry Webb ($10 at Amazon). It is a short commentary of Isaiah (which in most cases means boring - believe me, I wouldn't last long with a typical commentary). The way Barry Webb writes is done as if you are reading a fictional book.

The story: political turmoil and spiritual brokenness - the warnings of God as given by Isaiah the prophet.

The characters: Isaiah the prophet, King Ahaz and his descendants, and a furious God.

The place: The land of Judah and Assyria.

Special features: history and poetry woven with prophecy... events yet to pass, judgment yet to come, people yet to be born... and a virgin birth of a savior foretold 700 years before.

The reason this blog's namesake is Isaiah 6:8? He was a sinful man given the opportunity to be the voice for God Almighty, to go and share the message of judgment, peace, and salvation with the world. The angels came to him and purified him in order to share this divine message. I am saved only by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is through this salvation that I am able to share the message of God with you. Not that I have complete understanding of the Almighty or that I have taken hold of any of this, but that I am willing to do this... willing to serve... to live is Christ, and to die is to gain. Do you understand that? It is better to be with God and Jesus in Heaven, but while I am here I will go.

SEND ME!!!!

Best surfing clip ever...

Longest wave in the world

Can I focus for more than one minute?!

This is random... I was reading through my blog getting ready to post something insightful... hmmm. Nothing. Does anyone ever feel this way besides me? Most of the time my mind wanders like going through a fairy-tale land where there are stories of all kinds at every turn. And, yes, it is all animated...

I remember being in 2nd grade and my teacher had me take a hearing test because she thought I had a hearing problem. Well, listening problem would have been more accurate. I scored 100% on the test. I find every day things very boring. I even find myself wandering in my mind when someone is trying to have a conversation with me. This happens every day if not several times a day. I can hear the words they say, but they just go through my head as words not sentences or comprehensible conversation. Of course if it is something I am really interested in I am very focused. I will spend hours on something that is interesting to me. I could write for hours if I was allowed. But only on things of interest. I feel as though I am a good writer. I would love to write more, but then again, it's the whole focus thing...

There are so many things that interest me, probably because I can't stay focused on one thing in particular for too long. I read an article recently written by Tim Kimmel. He is a speaker and author of several books and the founder of Family Matters, a ministry focused on keeping families together. He has the same tendencies as I do. I can really relate to him. He made an interesting point in his article--he started off saying he would love "clock" the person who came up with the diagnosis of ADD and adding the last "D" to include the word "disorder." He goes on to say that he was never good at learning and at schoolwork. I can relate. He finishes up his article pointing out that we are all created different for reasons. And the personality traits associated with ADD is simply one of those "molds," as I like to call them, that God made us fit into. I too, have a problem with the word "disorder." Just because someone learns in a different way than our government likes us to, they are labeled as a disfunctioning part of society. I guess I should just get over it as there really isn't anything that griping will do.

But my point is that I have been created in a way that makes me unique, more so than the majority I believe. I have posted before about the blog SleepyBearHollow and how the author of this blog connected ADD tendencies to some of the most successful (in the worlds terms) and most influential CEOs in the world. I think this is due to the extreme focus that occurs when attempting to achieve something that is of interest to the person. I have seen this in my oldest son, Gavin. He has a tough time when it comes to organized learning, but if he is given a task that he enjoys, he will do it until it is perfected (or nearly so). I am proud of the fact that my son has the same traits as me... I am able to understand better what he is going through and how he learns best. It is not a disorder, but a rare gift.

And speaking of focus, I found a killer video of the world's longest wave, a ripple in the middle of the Amazon river... check it out.

New Book Suggestion

It has been some time since I last posted, thus the reason I opted to leave dates off my posts. It's actually embarrassing for me because I am such a slacker at posting regularly. But since my life is slowing down a little lately (I have finished a 16 month education program) I will be posting more regularly.

No time for any "insight" to events in my life right now, but I did want to share a book that I purchased recently. It was recommended by someone I highly respect and trust--the only reason I am suggesting it before I read it! It is a fiction book, which I normally don't read. I personally think they are usually a waste of precious time, plus the fact that I can't stick with a book long enough to finish the story. Part of the reason I like factual books or books that help in understanding behaviors and personalities of people or books that delve into an insightful area of spiritual beliefs, Christianity, leadership, etc. I can take bits from them without needing to dedicate a lump of time to them.

So anyway, below is a comment from the author from his blog site. It is something I would like to remember and also something I thought would benefit others. To visit his blog go to Windrumers.com. To visit his book website go here: The Shack.

The Need for Control

In my opinion, much of our drive to control (circumstances, others etc) is based in fear (fear of failure, fear of others, fear of being embarrassed, fear of the future etc) and if our fight to control is not an exercise against outright fear, we at least want to minimize the uncertainties in our lives. I am not talking about fear of ‘real’ dangers, but the fear that is linked to ‘imagined’ potentials.

Many think the opposite of fear is courage or bravery, but really the opposite is love. Perfect love casts out fear - there is a direct relationship between the fear in mylife and the settled-ness in my heart that I am loved (the one who fears is not perfected - has not come to wholeness in the matter of being loved). To use a metaphor: the small child of the greatest potentate enters his presence without any fear while others quake. Why? Because he knows he’s loved.

Another way to put it might be that in the process of becoming whole we are continually given opportunities to exchange all the uncertainties of life for the certainty of God’s character. This is an exercise in dependence and we should recogize it for the revolutionary action and rebellious stand against the systems (who are so quick to promise all manner of ‘certainties’).

As we trust God’s character of Love and particularly His active and involved love toward us, we don’t have to understand the circumstances of our lives in order to live freely and live loved. Faith sees past the uncertainties, and in some sense even embraces them, knowing that the certainty of Papa’s love is the only place where there is real solid ground.

Fear, on the other hand, runs from uncertainty or tries to erect systems and devices or gives allegiance to anyone or anything that promises to make life more certain. But the ultimate little child pointing out the emperor’s nakedness, is death. Death is a mockery of every attempt at certainty and why the world lives in fear of death, the one ‘potential’ that is assuredly ‘certain’.

The life of being loved and the life of faith is a life of risk; learning to hear the voice of One who loves in the midst of screaming uncertainties and demanding necessities. It is a journey and process…this learning to live loved. We will make lots of mistakes, but like Peter and Mack, we will come to understand and actually be overwhelmed by joy when we begin to realize that we would rather be sinking out on the water with Jesus than ’safe’ back in the boat, without Him.

-willie

Plan A or Plan B?

In 1914 Ernest Shackleton and a crew of twenty-seven men set out for Antarctica. When the expedition was just one day’s sail from its goal, their ship, the Endurance, became frozen solid in the ice. The crew was stuck there for ten months until the shifting ice crushed the ship. They salvaged the lifeboats and set up camp on the unstable ice floe. The original goal for Shackleton and his crew was to cross the continent of Antarctica. Shackleton was an adventurer and an incredibly optimistic leader who would not give up. When it became clear to him that they were not going to reach the continent, Shackleton set a new goal. To me this is the most impressive part of this story. Shackleton’s new goal, his plan B, was to get every one of his crew back home alive.

After their ship disintegrated and disappeared into the icy sea, they camped on the ice for five more months until it broke up enough for them to set off in the lifeboats across open water to tiny Elephant Island. Against all odds, they made it. The majority of the crew stayed there, while Shackleton and five others set out across the treacherous open sea in a life boat rigged up with a sail. Their goal was a whaling station on the island of South Georgia 800 miles away. They miraculously reached the island, but during the landing their boat smashed against the rocks. They were on the wrong side of the island with no boat. Wearing rags, hungry and with minimal supplies, they set off on foot on a 22-mile, 36-hour trek over the frozen, mountainous island to the whaling station on the other side. They made it. They procured a boat and, three months later, after three aborted attempts, were finally able to head back to Elephant Island for the men they had left behind.

One of the most moving parts of the narration is when Shackleton returns to icy, blistery Elephant Island. It was months past their expected return. Food rations left with the men had long ago run out. Conditions on the island were brutal. But when the ship neared shore Shackleton could see movement. He saw the men running out of their shelter. One…two…three…he slowly counted. Twenty-two. A shout went up on the ship. They were all accounted for. They were all alive. Every man on his crew had survived one of the most grueling expeditions in history.

I don’t know of anyone who likes to resort to Plan B. I don’t know what disappointments you may have faced in recent months or how many Plan A’s you’ve had to abandon. Plan A was an adventure. Plan B was a commitment. In my opinion commitment trumps adventure every time. Every time. Why? Without commitment we would not go anywhere in this world of ours. The commitment to trust God without looking back. The commitment to step off that cliff in faith, or in this case, to forge forward until odds are against you to even survive. The commitment to keep moving forward even if it means changing your original plan. God uses all sorts of situations to help us grow in our faith and understanding of His will for our lives (and to help us realize our selfish desires). He chooses to push us into a direction similar to Captain Shackleton's. But the end result may not be what we expect. It may not be anywhere near the so-called target.

Adventure is not by any means bad. In this case Shackleton was full of ambition and pursued adventure and discovery. It was the commitment he displayed through the whole ordeal that stood out. Commitment to save his crew. Comparably, I can relate this to surfing (as I do to a lot of things). Paddling out on those big days that look all gnarly is scary, I will admit. To not be scared of the power of this churning creation is, in my opinion, just plain stupid. Respect is a must. Those big days sometimes turn from a surf session into a survival session, not so unlike Shackleton's expedition. It's by God's grace we are able to accomplish infinitely more than we could ever dare to ask or hope.

Luis Palau: Into the Light

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Besetting sins?" That's what the old-timers used to call them. They're the sins we go back to again and again. With some of us it's temper, with some of us it's gossip, with others it's bitterness, or it could be a sexual sin. So what do we do when we're caught in a rut of sinful behavior? We have to go back to the Lord every single time! Every time confess and move on.

I've heard many new converts say, "How many times am I going to go back and confess my sins?" As many as it takes! Eventually you'll get so tired of confession that you'll probably decide, "I better not do it again. This is getting boring."

David says in Psalm 32 that he felt like his bones were dry as in the heat of summer until he confessed his sins to the Lord. And then he was forgiven, set free. It didn't mean that he wasn't tempted again, but now he was free from besetting sins.

First John 1 tells us that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. Romans 8 says we aren't obligated to the sinful nature any more. Hebrews 10 says this is now God's covenant with us: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."

Don't let besetting sins keep you from living fervently and free in Jesus. Your victory over sin is a tremendous testimony of abundant life in Jesus Christ, our Savior!

The fish are biting

I just got back from a missions trip to Chennai, India and was reflecting on what went on there. Many people heard the Good News of Christ and many accepted Him as their personal saviour. Through this trip I have learned many things. I was reading a particular passage in the Bible from Luke 5:1-11 where Jesus calls upon his disciples to cast their nets into the water and he fills them with fish. Simon Peter said to Jesus, "Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man!" He had shown his power to them and Simon Peter realized his failures and unworthiness in the presence of God in flesh. Jesus then told them, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men."

Knowing God had used me and allowed me to be a part of this mission trip to India made me realize that He has a greater purpose for all of us. It made me realize that life is short and many people in this world have no hope. They believe in things that are dead and lead to destruction and that we can make a difference in peoples lives and live together eternally in heaven with them. I know that by following God's prompting and praying for His will to be done that He will accomplish infinitely more than we could ever hope or imagine (Eph. 3:20). I know that I need to be a fisher of men, as the fish are biting and the bait is good... eternally good.

New India Blog Site

I have created a new blog site specifically for my trip to India. For daily updates (or as often as I can), photos and video footage go to redhillsindia.blogspot.com.

Red Hills India

From February 1-14 I will be embarking on an adventure of a lifetime. I was asked to be part of a team of 20 to go to Chennai, India to take the Good News of Christ to this city of 1.5 million. My specific role will be to serve with the technical team in setting up audio/visual equipment and assisting with photography and videography. This is especially exciting for me because the Lord has chosen me to use the gifts he has given me to use to His glory. My background is in graphic design, but over the years have "evolved" into more of a rounded communications area. I am a photographer and graphic designer at Corban College, and, by God's grace, I have been led to many people in ministry that can benefit by what I do as I can benefit from their knowledge in the Lord and experience in ministry.

Here is a brief background: the team I am traveling with is headed up by Reid Saunders, an alum of Corban. The Reid Saunders Association (RSA) travels around the world telling the Good News through evangelistic events. I had the chance to get to know Reid through various events at the college and around the city of Salem. RSA was created under the umbrella organization Next Generation Alliance (NGA), a Luis Palau company. NGA is also associated with Livin' It, an extreme sports ministry headed up by Stephen Baldwin (yes, of the Hollywood Baldwin brothers). I also had the opportunity to meet Luis at an event in Salem and was at that time asked to go on this trip. The trip involves setting up events to share the Good News of Christ with the people of Chennai. It has been more than 15 years since the Gospel has been taken into this city, so there is expected to be at least 4000 people attending each event per day.

I am truly amazed at how God has been working in my life. This is just another step in my spiritual growth that will lead to yet another step. I am learning that, by faith, stepping out into the unknown is perhaps the most gratifying experience, because I know God's hand is in it and He is in control of everything; nothing is impossible through God! I can see how he has worked in my life and it gives me a hint of where He will lead me in the future.

For those of you who are interested in my trip, I will be logging my experience on this blog beginning soon. I leave on February 1st and will attempt to post as much as possible (wherever I have an internet connection). If you would like to help with this trip you can do so by praying for the team and I. We need specific prayer for God to prepare our hearts for this experience, for all necessary doors to be opened, for protection from harm (both physically and spiritually), to focus on Christ and strengthen our fellowship and to prepare the people of India to receive Christ into their lives. You can also help by supporting me financially. Since I didn't even know about this trip until about one month ago and it wasn't confirmed I was going until a few weeks ago, I have just a short time to do any fundraising. If this is something that is on your heart, I ask you to help send me to India on your behalf. God has blessed us all in different ways, some financially and some not. I have been blessed by being chosen to go on this trip. I honestly don't feel worthy of it, but very humbled that I can serve with the team. I know the Lord will provide financially for me through certain people and He has already selected them. By supporting me, by prayer and/or financially, you’ll have an opportunity to be a part of this trip. I am grateful for anything you can do.

If you have any questions or concerns or would like to chat about the trip, please feel free to get in touch with me at cwells@corban.edu.

Our Fallible President

The recent national address by President Bush got me thinking about where this man has been in the last 7 years... It made me realize some things about how we, as humans, are fallible. We have our personal weaknesses and our strenths. By nature, we dwell on weakness. Why? I don't know. It may be how God programmed us. Trusting in God by raw faith is perhaps opposite what our bodies tell us to do. I think that maybe we were created to seek truth, to know that what "is" is weak and that there is something better. It's possible that our reaction to this human trait is to look inward and to attempt to acheive greatness ourselves. To attempt to become greater than the weakness we find in others. This is the case with many Americans, and actually, the entire human race. I do believe we have pointed our efforts in the wrong place. Instead of inward, we need to be pointing upward. God designed us to seek Him!

President Bush is a fallible man. Not perfect by any means and, yes, he has made some major mistakes as president. But what has he done to better our country and the world? I was discussing with my wife last night about our world politics and the countries and powers within it right now. We are living in an incredible time of history - the United States is the most powerful country in the world! And the man who leads it is simply a man. However, I believe he is a wise man. I can't begin to image the trials he has gone through and I would not wish that on anyone. But he has also been through some incredibly gratifying times. Our infallible God chose him to lead this country whether we like it or not. As a Christian, I am called to obey the leaders of nations and those put into power as long as it is not in defiance of my faith, because God put them there. Although I don't agree with everything he has done as a president, George W. Bush has my utmost respect. Consider what is going on in our world right now. It is not the same world we knew 100 years ago, 50 years ago, or even 10 years ago. A time in history that we should all be proud to be a part of.

"I'm a Methodist. I'm an active church member. . . I attend church, I like church . . . I've heard great preachers, I've heard not-so-great preachers. I love the hymns, I read the Bible daily. . . .I pray on a daily basis. I've got a structure to my life where religion plays a role. I understand religion is a walk, it's a journey. And I fully recognize that I'm a sinner, just like you. That's why Christ died. He died for my sins and your sins."
-- "George W. Bush: Running on His Faith," US News Online

"I would describe myself as a man who was raised a Christian, who sought redemption and found it in Jesus Christ. And that's important by the way, for someone running for public office. It's a humbling experience to make that admission. I admit I'm a lowly sinner. It's that admission that led me to redemption and led me to Christ. Without making that admission, I don't think there's such a thing as redemption."
-- interview with the Baptist Press, 31 August 2000

New Year – New Beginning

The new year brings an opportunity to start fresh. A new beginning to a new year. Resolutions are made to be better, do better, have more, do more, etc, etc.

To me, the new year is a reminder of death. Dying to my past and looking to a new future full of hope and optimism. Dying to a part of myself I don't want to be in this new year. Dying to selfish ambitions and realizing a greater purpose. To decrease is to increase. A new year? A new opportunity? A second (or third, or fourth) try? A new life? Yes, all of these. Only through death am I worthy of such a claim. The death of a man to live life like I should, like I know I am to live. Giving credit where credit is due? Jesus.

ADHD or CEO?

This is a great post to consider the natural tendencies of those diagnosed with ADHD and the leadership abilities of your average CEO: Sleepy Bear Hollow: Ponder this